Printable polyacetal compositions

Abstract

The printability of oxymethylene polymers such as by the heat transfer of sublimable dyes is improved by the addition of an amorphous or partially crystalline polymer to the oxymethylene polymer molding composition.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for transferring a dye from a intermediate transfer surface to an article molded from an oxymethylene polymer, comprising; intimately contacting said intermediate transfer surface with said molded article and applying sufficient heat and pressure to transfer the dye from said transfer surface to said molded article, said molded article being formed from a blend of about 50 to 90 wt. % of an oxymethylene polymer and from about 10 to 50 wt. % of an amorphous or partially crystalline polymer additive. 
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 wherein the oxymethylene polymer is selected from the group consisting of: (i) oxymethylene homopolymer,   (ii) oxymethylene copolymer comprising about 85 to about 99.9 percent recurring --OCH 2  -- groups interspersed with groups of the formula: ##STR5##  wherein each R 1  and R 2  is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl and halogen-substituted lower alkyl radicals, each R 3  is selected from the group consisting of methylene, oxymethylene, lower alkyl and halo-alkyl-substituted methylene, and lower alkyl and haloalkyl-substituted oxymethylene radicals and n is an integer from 0 to 3, inclusive, each lower alkyl radical having from 1 to 2 carbon atoms, inclusive, said copolymer having a number average molecular weight of at least 10,000 and a melting point of at least 150° C., and   (iii) oxymethylene terpolymer, which is the reaction product of trioxane, a cyclic ether and/or cyclic acetal, and a diglycide of the formula: ##STR6##  wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of a carbon-to-carbon bond, oxygen, an oxyalkoxy of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and an oxypoly (lower alkoxy).   
     
     
       3. The process of claim 1 wherein said dye is a dispersed sublimable dye. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 2 wherein said oxymethylene polymer is said oxymethylene copolymer. 
     
     
       5. The process of claim 4 wherein said oxymethylene copolymer has a melt index of 9.0 g/10 min. 
     
     
       6. The process of claim 1 wherein said polymer additive is an elastomeric polyurethane. 
     
     
       7. The process of claim 6 wherein said molding composition contains 10% by wt. of said elastomeric polyurethane. 
     
     
       8. The process of claim 6 wherein said molding composition contains 20% by wt. of said elastomeric polyurethane. 
     
     
       9. The process of claim 1 wherein said polymer additive is a copolymer of ethylene and alkylacrylate. 
     
     
       10. The process of claim 9 wherein said polymer additive comprises at least about 40 to 90 wt. % ethylene. 
     
     
       11. The process of claim 10 wherein said alkylacrylate is ethylacrylate. 
     
     
       12. The process of claim 10 wherein said alkylacrylate is butylacrylate. 
     
     
       13. The process of claim 1 wherein said polymer additive is a 1,3-diene rubber. 
     
     
       14. The process of claim 13 wherein said rubber is an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer end-capped with maleic anhydride. 
     
     
       15. A process for transferring a dye from a intermediate transfer surface to an article molded from an oxymethylene polymer, comprising; intimately contacting said intermediate transfer surface with said molded article and applying sufficient heat and pressure to transfer the dye from said transfer surface to said molded article, said molded article being formed from a blend of a major amount of oxymethylene polymer and at least about a sufficient minor amount of an amorphous or partially crystalline polymer additive to improve dye penetration. 
     
     
       16. The process of claim 15 wherein the oxymethylene polymer is selected from the group consisting of: (i) oxymethylene homopolymer,   (ii) oxymethylene copolymer comprising about 85 to about 99.9 percent recurring --OCH 2  -- groups interspersed with groups of the formula: ##STR7##  wherein each R 1  and R 2  is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl and halogen-substituted lower alkyl radicals, each R 3  is selected from the group consisting of methylene, oxymethylene, lower alkyl and halo-alkyl-substituted methylene, and lower alkyl and haloalkyl-substituted oxymethylene radicals and n is an integer from 0 to 3, inclusive, each lower alkyl radical having from 1 to 2 carbon atoms, inclusive, said copolymer having a number average molecular weight of at least 10,000 and a melting point of at least 150° C., and   (iii) oxymethylene terpolymer, which is the reaction product of trioxane, a cyclic ether and/or cyclic acetal, and a diglycide of the formula: ##STR8##  wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of a carbon-to-carbon bond, oxygen, an oxyalkoxy of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and an oxypoly (lower alkoxy).   
     
     
       17. The process of claim 15 wherein said polymer additive is an elastomeric polyurethane. 
     
     
       18. The process of claim 15 wherein said polymer additive is a copolymer of ethylene and alkylacrylate. 
     
     
       19. The process of claim 15 wherein said polymer is an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer end-capped with maleic anhydride.